The present invention relates to a magnetic information carrier comprising two magnetic tracks, and in which at least some of the magnetic information of the carrier may be displayed due to the positioning of zones of concentration of magnetic particles of a liquid and due to other readable information printed on the carrier.
More precisely, the present invention relates to a magnetic information carrier adapted to be used by the public for a certain period of time, such as for example a credit card or a weekly card for use in public transport.
At present, cards used in public transport are generally made of cardboard, with one or more magnetic tracks. As they are used, the magnetic information contained on these cards vary, the variation of this information being displayed or explained with the aid of other information, which is not-magnetic and consequently understandable to the holders of these cards, printed on these cards.
The readable information defined hereinabove may easily be printed on paper or cardboard cards. However, such cards are particularly fragile, due to the very nature of their constitution, and the mere fact of folding them or creasing them may render them magnetically unusable. In fact, the cards carrying magnetic information adapted to be used over a relatively long period are rathermore made of an at least relatively rigid material, particularly plastics material. However, these latter cards, made of plastics material, which are less fragile, in turn present the drawback, with respect to paper or cardboard cards, of retaining a printing ink less easily.
The present invention therefore relates to a magnetic information carrier which is not fragile, and on which it is easy to print readable information intended to display variable magnetic information.
British Pat. No. 1,427,517 already discloses a magnetic information carrier substantially of the type mentioned hereinabove. However, this support comprises only one magnetic track, which is prejudicial to a good use of this carrier and, moreover, its rigidity is not completely satisfactory.